Mountain Top(296)
“Judge Howell accepted the plea agreement. Moses is free.”
“Awesome. I know that’s a relief. What about the little girl? What did you find out?”
“That he didn’t do anything criminal. He tried to help her.”
“How sweet. Oh, I almost forgot.” Julie pointed to a fresh folder on my side of the table. “Bob Kettleson’s secretary left that for you. She says he wants an answer Monday morning.”
I sat down and flipped open the folder. Fortunately, the problem was in an area of civil procedure familiar to me. I spent the next forty-five minutes documenting what I knew to be true. The memo could be typed first thing Monday morning.
Julie looked at her watch. “Listen, do you think we could sneak away early? I’d like some extra time to get ready for the party.”
“Why don’t you go ahead. I’d like to get a head start on this memo. I can just walk to Mrs. Fairmont’s.” I didn’t want to get into a big discussion with Julie about it, but I really didn’t plan on attending the party.
The door opened, and I looked up to see Vince entering the library. Julie greeted him first.
“Tell me everything that happened in court today. Tami made it sound so vanilla that I know she’s holding out on me. She is absolutely the worst liar on the planet.”
Vince looked at me.
“I didn’t lie,” I answered.
“But I didn’t get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,” Julie responded.
“I don’t have time now,” Vince replied. “I broke away from a meeting for a couple of minutes. Maybe we can talk tonight at Mr. Carpenter’s house.”
“That won’t work. I’ll be with Joel at the party, and he’s not within the attorney/client relationship.”
“We’ll get alone for a few minutes and make him jealous,” Vince answered.
“Where did that come from?” Julie asked. “But it’s a great idea.”
Vince looked at me. “Would you like me to pick you up?”
“I’m not sure that I’m going to make—”
“You’ll be there,” Julie interrupted. “I’m sure there will be fancy flavors of water for the nondrinkers in the crowd. You might even have time to witness to Ned before he tosses down too many martinis. If anyone needs to repent, he’s it.”
“I wish you would go, Tami,” Vince added. “I’d really like to talk to you about something.”
“If I go, it’s only a few blocks from Mrs. Fairmont’s house. I can walk.”
“Pick her up at seven thirty,” Julie cut in. “Cinderella never walks to the ball; she always arrives in a coach.”
Vince held out his hands, palms up.
“Okay,” I replied with a smile. “I’ll see you at seven thirty. Do you know where I’m staying?”
“Of course he does,” Julie answered. “He’s been stalking you since day one.”
“I know the house,” Vince said.
After Vince left, Julie turned to me. “What are you going to wear? This is a dressy occasion.”
“Maybe the blue suit I wore the first day of work.”
Julie rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying you need to buy a strapless cocktail dress, but please don’t wear something frumpy. I’d offer to go shopping with you, but that would destroy our friendship.”
After a moment of rare silence, Julie asked, “So, is Vince the front-runner?”
“I’m not sure if either he or Zach is a runner.”
Shaking her head, Julie expelled an exaggerated sigh.
I WENT UPSTAIRS to see Gerry Patrick and knocked on the door frame.
“Come in,” she said, looking up from her desk.
“I need to buy a dress for the party tonight at Mr. Carpenter’s house. Any suggestions?”
“Waiting till the last minute, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am.”
The office manager tapped her pen against a legal pad, then began writing. She tore out the sheet and handed it to me.
“Use the firm car. You can just bring it back on Monday. Tell Marie I sent you. She knows how to make modest Jewish girls look classy; she can do the same for you.”
An hour later, I left the shop with a beautiful pale green dress that, while not hugging my figure too closely, didn’t deny the fact that I was a woman. Mama wasn’t there to judge it. I was on my own.
CHRISTINE BARTLETT’S CAR was parked along the curb when I arrived at Mrs. Fairmont’s house.
Flip didn’t greet me in the foyer. With Mrs. Bartlett present, I suspected the little dog had been banished to the basement. I found the two women in the kitchen. Mrs. Bartlett had fixed a late-afternoon pot of coffee. Mrs. Fairmont was sipping from a cup as I entered.